(from Saab Press
Release) In 1966, to keep the arrival of the upcoming Saab
99 secret, endurance testing of prototypes was carried out inside an
old aircraft hangar. Non-stop runs were conducted as the prototypes
circled round and round for several days at a time to test
driveshaft durability.

In 1967, the Saab 99 gets an advance showing in Stockholm on
November 22. It is the first entirely new model since the Saab
92-96. Among the new features are a double-jointed steering column
of safety type, a safety body with crumple zones front and rear, and
the ignition switch on the floor between the front seats. The power
unit is a straight four-cylinder engine of 1.7 litres, developed for
Saab by Ricardo and built by Triumph in England.

Sixten Sason, the designer of the early Saabs from the original 92
to the highly innovative 99, was a leading exponent of the emerging
discipline of industrial design. Working as a freelance, he also
designed the first Hasselblad camera, Husqvarna motorcycles and
Electrolux domestic products.

Saab 99 named Car of the Year 1972 in Sweden

In 1977,the Saab 99 Turbo is presented at the international motor
show in Frankfurt.